I think I'm going to do a series of these situational response threads.

This being a martial arts site, it's enlightening for all of us, to ascertain the wide bandwidth of intended responses to a similar SD event, depending on where, and in what setting, they reside.

It wouldn't be as valuable, but the majority of our posters, especially our regulars, have great passion for MA and SD. I'll put it all in YMAS, so we're more free to have fun.

How many of you all would call the cops, as an initial response, prior to what you'd then do (as posted)?

Ideally I would call the cops, I do not have a land line and I very rarely take my phone with me to the bedroom. So I would have to go past the door in question to get to it. My wife on the other hand most likely would have her phone so she can call the cops while I secure my daughters room.
I do however suggest calling the cops being pretty damn high on everyone's list, other than maybe getting your kids into the same room as you.

I think I'm going to do a series of these situational response threads.

OK. I can tell you in advance my answer is always going to be "gimp suit."

Originally Posted by bobyclumsyninja

How many of you all would call the cops, as an initial response, prior to what you'd then do (as posted)?

In seriousness, door gets kicked in? Retreat to bedroom, get firearm (if there were not one on my person), announce I'm armed and calling the police, then call police. I don't have anybody to protect, so there would be no good reason to leave a defensive position in favor of room-clearing, unless I were particularly suicidal that day.

How many of you all would call the cops, as an initial response, prior to what you'd then do (as posted)?

As I mentioned in my story it didn't occur to me to call the cops until after I chased the bad guys and knew I was safe. I'm not sure why because it's certainly a valid argument that I would've been safer to call the cops and wait for them. Just did not enter my mind.

Calling 911 is one of the reasons we keep our cellphones in the bedroom when we go to bed. Otherwise, if you depend on the house phone you could have an issue as house phones can be disabled. That being one of the first steps, attempting to contain the threat and secure the area is just what I do.

Secure family first, then call. (or have the wife call simultaneous to my bad guy interdiction)

And lo, Kano looked down upon the field and saw the multitudes. Amongst them were the disciples of Uesheba who were greatly vexed at his sayings. And Kano spake: "Do not be concerned with the mote in thy neighbor's eye, when verily thou hast a massive stick in thine ass".

Secure family first, then call. (or have the wife call simultaneous to my bad guy interdiction)

He raises a valid point. The scenario said nothing about people who need protection. Funny thing is, last night I heard five noises like someone was squashing a plastic bag filled with pillows, and immediately got up, went out into the front room and went out the front door and looked around. Nothing. I don't own a firearm, don't have any training anyway, and I guess my instinct is that the best defense is immediate confrontation. Better to surprise them then wait around.

Suddenly I am going through all these mental scenarios.

Perhaps an alarm system is in order.

"We often joke -- and we really wish it were a joke -- that you will only encounter two basic problems with your 'self-defense' training.
1) That it doesn't work
2) That it does work"
-Animal MacYoung

I moved into a house that the previous owner had installed an alarm on. Well they didn't turn it off when they moved. So the 1st night I was in the house the alarm armed itself at like 11. So I managed to set the Alarm off going down stairs to get water or something. It took the Cops 2 hours to show up.

Pretty much you have to retreat until you can retreat no further, and then you may use reasonable force to defend your self and other occupants

With this in mind I would wait at the top of the stairs. This would give me the advantage of higher ground (+1)

The wife would call the Guards, but we are a minimum of half an hour from the barracks, and they only have the one squad car for the area, so if there is another incident in the area we are pretty much on our own

One good bit of advice a friends father gave me was if you have to shoot some attacker put the first barrel into them and the second barrel into the cieling. That way you can claim you fired a warning shot